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Cybersecurity

Gone Fishing used to mean something relaxing in Grandpa’s generation. But we’re not in Mayberry anymore Barney. And there’s nothing relaxing about defending against modern day phishers and their never ending steam of bait.

What is phishing? It’s the fraudulent practice of sending emails, pretending to be from reputable companies, hoping to trick unsuspecting folks to reveal personal information.

Bet you didn’t know October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Or as insiders like to call it…Nic-Sam.

I didn’t know either. It wasn’t until the recent Equifax hack that I started paying more attention to cybersecurity. While I don’t pretend to be any kind of cyber security expert, I’ve picked up some tips that most experts agree on.

The recent Equifax data breach is making us all more aware of protecting ourselves in the digital universe. At least it should be. By now you may have set up a security freeze at all of the credit reporting agencies. That’s a great first start. But bad guys don’t typically give up just because the front door is locked. You’ve got to reinforce the whole house.

Here’s an important story about cybersecurity that showed up last week just as most of us were working on our physical security, and securing our property ahead of Irma. Equifax, one of the big credit reporting bureaus, was hacked.

The bad guys accessed personal information on 143 million Americans. Names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth. In some cases, drivers license numbers. Enough stuff to potentially open accounts in your name.

I’m usually counseling folks on planning and preparing for financial goals. With a hurricane bearing down on Florida, your only immediate financial goal should be to swing by an ATM and get some “just in case” cash.

By now you should be prepped and ready. Water, food, batteries…you’ve seen the checklists. Time to execute if you’ve been sitting around.

Once you’re ready, there’s likely more sitting around…coming around. The waiting can be the hardest part. Here’s a couple things to tackle during the wait…if, and only if, you’ve prepared and have a plan in place for Irma.